COMPARATIVE COSTS OF LUNG-CANCER MANAGEMENT

A method is outlined for comparative costing of different protocols of lung cancer management in a free-standing clinic. The costs of chemot herapy and radiation therapy are evaluated according to alternative re gimens of treatment. The costs of new patient assessment, patient foll ow-up, and ancillary care (social work and nutrition assistance) are a lso included. Except for the cost of routine blood tests during chemot herapy and radiotherapy planning computerized tomography (CT) scans, c osts incurred outside the clinic are excluded. The method is illustrat ed by application to out-patient treatment of lung cancer at the Victo ria Clinic of the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, using data for the 1989-90 fiscal year of the Clinic , The method may be adapted for use in other disease and institutional settings.